Will the Swine Flu Shot Be Ready by October?by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger 05 Jun 2009 03:30 PM We're not done with swine flu yet... or maybe swine flu isn't done with us. As of the beginning of June, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control are reporting more than 8,500 probable and confirmed cases of swine flu in the United States; the World Health Organization puts the global number of cases just over twenty thousand. The virus has been confirmed in sixty-six different countries. More than one hundred people have died at the time of writing. But we may see a swine flu vaccine in the United States as early as October -- right around the start of the "normal" flu season. Over the past few weeks, the CDC shipped swine flu virus samples to vaccine manufacturers so researchers could get to work. Over the summer, drug makers will produce vaccines and submit them to the U.S. government for testing. Vaccines will be reviewed for safety and effectiveness. It may be that a swine flu vaccine won't be needed by that point. But if manufacturers come up with a safe, effective swine flu vaccine AND the government and world health authorities decide a vaccination campaign is warranted, the earliest we'll probably see swine flu shots available is October 2009. In May, the U.S. government set aside one billion dollars for vaccine testing and stockpiling vaccine ingredients, just in case world health authorities decide that a swine flu vaccine is necessary. Stockpiling ingredients allows vaccines to be produced quickly in order to protect people who are at high risk from the flu -- the sick, the elderly, young children -- and health care workers. Keep in mind that swine flu and seasonal influenza are two different diseases. Swine flu symptoms are often milder than "normal" flu symptoms. Do you get an annual flu shot? Do you think you would get a swine flu vaccine if one were available? Are you worried about possible exposure to the disease? Learn more about Aimee Amodio  Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover... Relevanthealth tags User Comments  Mary Ann Romans (26876) 17 Jun 2009 11:30 AMMy family and I get a flu shot every year, so we would get one for Swine Flu if it is available. My question is, will there be both a swine flu and a season flu shot, or will manufacturers be too busy making one over the other?  Aimee Amodio (11995) 17 Jun 2009 12:12 PMAs far as I understand, there will be both varieties (seasonal flu and swine flu) available. But I'll keep an eye on the news and keep you updated! Community Tags flu shot, flu, influenza, swine flu, swine flu shot Discuss this article
|
Health categories |
